A 72-year-old man accused of killing three homeless people and injuring several others when his vehicle veered into a crowded homeless encampment in downtown San Diego will be placed under house arrest as he awaits trial proceedings, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Craig Voss was to be released from county jail on several conditions, including that he stay in home confinement with a GPS tracker, surrenders his driver's license, submits to random drug tests, and does not possess any controlled substances, among others.
Previously, Voss' bail had been set at $1 million but his attorney requested the bail review hearing that occurred Tuesday.
Voss faces charges that include three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, five counts of causing great bodily injury while committing a felony, and one count of felony DUI for the deadly crash under a tunnel near San Diego City College, where dozens of houseless individuals took shelter from the cold weather on March 15.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
Voss pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is next due in court on April 8.
Police said Voss struck a total of nine people at the homeless encampment along the 1400 block of B Street. Three people died -- Rodney Diffendal, 61-year-old Walter James Jones and 65-year-old Randy Daniel Ferris.
Local
After the crash, Voss stayed at the scene and identified himself to authorities as the driver. Some witnesses said Voss offered to help some individuals before medics arrived.
Voss conducted a field sobriety test and was found to be impaired but investigators have not said of what type of substance.
The body metabolizes prescription drugs and illicit narcotics in the same way, SDPD Lt. Shawn Takeuchi said. Police also ask about medical conditions as part of their routine investigation, and more details are expected to come out in court, he said.
Authorities had received a call before the crash that a man in a Volvo station wagon appeared to be driving while impaired, police said. That is also under investigation.
